For man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion
by kiara-kun
Summary: At the time of absolute monarchy, the Karasuno household is banished from their country for being traitors. Hinata, having been left behind for fear of his safety, chases after his friends into the forest only to meet a stranger who's fighting skills intrigues Hinata. Inspired by 'As You Like it" by Shakespeare. Rating may change later. Kagehina.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: "Blow, blow, thou winter wind, thou art not so unkind as a man's ingratitude"**

A/N

Hello! I haven't been on here or written at all for a... very long time. However, I decided to write again! After finishing 'As you like it' I couldn't resist making a Kagehina fic. I'm mostly just taking the scenario they were in, but my fic is vastly different from the play, so don't pay any mind to it. My chapter names will be named after my favourite quotes from the play though! This will probably be a pretty long fic (I wont give any estimations for fear of being drastically off) and my updates will not be routine, but will be often! My self-esteem is low from not writing in so long, so please leave feedback to keep my motivation up! Enjoy ~

The cold air bit Hinata's cheek as he sat across from his long-time friend, Kenma, in the courtyard. The scent of winter hung heavy in the air as it approached that time of the year again. Occasionally, Kenma would make a comment on the weather, or a new book he read. They had been sitting there like that long past nightfall, but Hinata hardly heard anything Kenma said. His dazed look frightened Kenma, but the anger that randomly showed itself was no better.

"It makes no sense!" Hinata abruptly shouted, his anger once again bubbling up and his eyes focusing; yet Kenma remained unfazed. This was perhaps the millionth time Hinata said these words and the only response Kenma gave was a slight frown, uncertain of how to comfort his friend. "Daichi has only ever helped this country and its people, and the king just… threw him out!" A lump formed in his throat as his hands trembled slightly. His vision unfocused again as the anger which had flared up so quickly faded into resentment, angst. "It makes no sense…" He trailed off.

"Hinata?" Kenma cautiously placed a hand on his shoulder with worry in his eyes, but Hinata was already gone. It's been almost a month since it happened. Almost a month since the King issued the banishment of Daichi, since he parted ways with Daichi and the only family he ever knew. He could still recall his last conversation with Daichi with perfect clarity.

 _The strong hand firmly gripped his shoulder as the tears stuck in his throat threatened to spill. Behind Daichi, Hinata could see Suga giving him a sympathetic smile, but he simply turned his head. He stared at the ground as Daichi's eyes bore into him. The look demanded that he meets his eyes, but he couldn't, not after what he just asked – no, commanded him to do._

 _"Hinata, I know it's hard, but you need to stay here. The king doesn't think you're a danger right now, but if you come with us, he'll target you too. We can't see you get hurt because of us." He paused long before murmured a quiet "I'm sorry"._

 _Hinata trembled under Daichi's hand, his mind spinning. He was right. Of course he was right! But Hinata couldn't just sit back at the capital while the only family he has ever had leaves him. He didn't want to be alone._

 _Daichi squeezed his shoulder once more before releasing him. Standing up, he tugged the bag strap firmer over his shoulder and hesitated only a moment before turning away._

 _A hand smacked Hinata's back, nearly knocking him off his feet._

 _"Hey, it's not like this is forever! Cheer up, man!" The familiar voice of Tanaka boomed over him with a kind of confidence that seemed unfathomable right now. With that, they all turned and began walking away. Goodbyes were muttered, but Hinata didn't hear any of it. Incapable of lifting his head to watch them set off, Hinata listened to the padding of their feet grow more and more distant as warm tears spilled down his face. He choked back a sob._

 _He was alone. Again._

"Hinata!" Yamaguchi's nervous voice pulled Hinata out of his reverie. While Hinata foggily blinked up at the frantic boy, Kenma stepped forward quickly.

"What happened?" Kenma's calm voice carried a note of anxiety as he approached the panting Yamaguchi.

"I-it's the King's Dog!" Yamaguchi replied breathlessly and Hinata's blood ran cold. "He's attacking someone!"

\- o - o - o –

 _Breathe in._

The glint of the blade in the moonlight nearly blinded Kageyama as he swayed just barely out of its way, the knife barely grazing his shoulder.

 _Breathe out._

He brought his arm back as his fingers curled into a fist. The man, the King's Dog, regained his balance from the missed attack with ease.

 _Aim for the nose, but not directly. Tilt upwards._

Arm snapping forward, his fist connected with his target. He allowed a sliver of satisfaction when he heard the vicious snap and felt warm wetness coat his hand. However, as he began to pull away, there was a flash of cold metal on his stomach, then pain sliced across it. Kageyama winced.

 _Fuck._

He jumped back and took in his opponent. Blood covered his lower face but was splattered everywhere else, and his nose stood at a shockingly awkward angle. The man's eyes narrowed into a glare that was both laughable and terrifying in his current state.

 _Faster. Have to be faster._

The man lunged at him anew with the blade at ready.

 _Faster._

With his left arm raised, Kageyama pushed the man's arm so as to shift the direction slightly and leaned as far to the right as possible without compromising his balance. Simultaneously, he pulled his right arm back and snapped it forward once again and landed a swift but hard punch to the man's jaw. The King's Dog stumbled from the blow while Kageyama stretched his fingers, searching for any injuries. Relieved there was none, he returned to facing the mutt before him.

\- o - o - o -

Hinata stared in fascination at the two in front of him. He had hurried over here as fast as possible, but now stood still in amazement at the sight before him.

Before him, the King's Dog and some man he had never met danced back and forth at an almost inconceivable speed. The Dog as usual was brutal and fought with sheer brute, all the while with a stern face. However, each blow he aimed at this stranger, filled with malice as it was, was avoided and returned in the same moment. Hinata felt himself fill with awe at this man who moved like his body was made of water, his movements beautiful yet powerful. No more than five minutes after he arrived, the stranger swiped his leg under the Dog and toppled him. Leaping on his back, the stranger pulled his head back by his spiky, brown hair and with one quick slam on the ground, the King's Dog was out cold.

The stranger stood and wiped sweat from his brow, taking note of the rather large crowd gathered around him. He was a lot taller than Hinata and was rather handsome, in a brooding kind of way. Not noticing the glare on his face nor his wounds, Hinata leapt forward and grabbed the stranger's hands with an excited yell.

"That was a~mazing! You went all, bam, woosh, pow! How did you learn to fight like that? That was so cool!" The words all tumbled out of his mouth so fast that Hinata was left absolutely breathless as the stranger stared at him with his mouth slack and eyes wide open.

"Uh-umm..." He stuttered while inching away from the enthusiastic Hinata.

"What's your name?" Hinata grinned up at him eagerly.

"K-Kageyama…" He murmured while avoiding Hinata's sunny gaze.

"Kageyama, huh? I'm Hinata!"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N

Hello! I'm back again with chapter two!

I believe I'm going to make Sunday my update day (what better day that the day after HQ day?) but don't hold me to it! University life is a busy life and I'm bad with commitments, so I may be a couple days early or a couple days late (never too late though, don't worry) but I will do my best. As always, reviews would greatly help improve my writing, so tell me what you think. Now, on with the show!

\- **Chapter 2:** " **I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad"-**

Kageyama muttered angrily as he swatted away the pesky bugs around him. His trek so far wasn't going all that great. Why was he out in the forest anyway?

 _Because it's not safe in the capital, idiot._

Well, yeah, obviously. But why would he go to the _forest?_ So a damn bear could kill him instead of a dog?

 _Tsk._

His mind flashed back to a bright smile and messy hair. ' _Hinata'_ his mind supplied. Where had he come from? Why was he so excited to see Kageyama? After forcibly removing his hands from the other, Kageyama quickly said he had to go and parted ways with the odd boy. But even after leaving… _Hinata,_ he still couldn't stop thinking of the bright eyed kid.

Soon, the bright sky turned pink as the sun began to set and Kageyama felt worry gnaw at him. He pulled his bag tighter as he wondered where he was going to find shelter and after that what was he going to eat. Sure, he had bread and dried meat, but his rations wouldn't last long. Not to mention they won't be of much use if he died in the cold.

He slapped another bug as it landed on his arm. Why are there so many _fucking_ bugs when it's almost winter? Wiping the bugs' remains on his slacks, Kageyama continued walking. He froze, however, at the sound of a twig snapping nearby.

He took a quick but thorough look around the forest but saw nothing. Sweat fell from his temple.

"Who's there?" His voice echoed in the quiet forest. He felt ridiculous calling out into the empty woods, as it was probably just a squirrel or something; but his nerves remained on edge while remained in his exact spot, not moving a muscle.

"Hey, hey. Why so nervous? Ha." A loud voice boomed behind him. Whipping around, Kageyama caught sight of a bald head and a menacing grin before he was tackled to the ground. With his chest pressed against the ground and his arm twisted behind his back, he struggled to breathe.

 _Shit. Shit shit shit._

"So, you wanna tell me what you're doing out here, hmm?"The voice growled from behind his ear. "Come on…" He murmured right before he gave a small tug on Kageyama's arm, eliciting a painful yell from him.

"Tanaka!" Someone yelled, his voice laced with authority. The moment he called out, the man on his back dropped Kageyama's arm and with a _tsk_ the weight from his back was lifted as well. Breathing in deeply before twisting around and jumping up, Kageyama took in the two strangers. He didn't know the bald one – Tanaka – but the other… Daichi. Daichi was his name. He recalled hearing about him and seeing his photo post everywhere. The traitor.

"Sorry about that." Daichi said as he stepped forward. He smiled at Kageyama, albeit guardedly. Kageyama took a step back. "Mind if I ask what you're doing out here?"

"Why, do you own these woods?" Kageyama bit out and Tanaka took a threatening step toward him, while Daichi only chuckled. Shooting a glare at the bald guy, he eyed Daichi carefully. With his deep voice and sturdy build, he was all kinds of frightening without even trying.

"Of course not, but these are dangerous times, kid." Kageyama's eye twitched "So, I'd like to know who's entering these forests and why." He said this with a smile and his voice nonchalant, but his dark eyes bore into him with an unspoken threat. Kageyama cast his eyes to the ground, annoyed with his own fear of this man.

"M-my name is Kageyama. I'm here because the King's Dog is after me." He muttered without looking up from the ground.

"The King's Dog? Why's that?"

Kageyama frowned but did not reply. He wouldn't tell him that. Not ever. After a moment of silent, Daichi gave a thoughtful _hm_ before clapping him on the back _(When did he get that close?)_ and gave Kageyama a large smile once he looked up.

"Come on, you must be famished. Let's go to our camp." A startled shout of protest from Tanaka did not even come close to the surprise on Kageyama's face. All he could think was _'why?'_ but knowing full well he wouldn't survive out here alone, Kageyama followed the large man known as Daichi and his annoyed friend to their camp with a low _okay_.

\- o - o - o –

P.O.V. switch

"It doesn't look _that_ bad" Kenma tried to reassure Hinata as the boy tugged at a lock of ginger hair with a groan.

"Do you know how long it took me to grow my hair that long? It took forever!" He replied with another helpless tug of his hair.

"Well you want to see the rest of Karasuno again, don't you?"

With a sigh, Hinata nodded his head and tugged on the hat and brushed the dirt off his clothes. "Osu! How do I look?" He gestured to his clothes. In contrast to his usual upperclassman tunics and tights, Hinata bore peasant rags of muted greys and browns – _or was that dirt? -_ and his hair now short.

"Like a… garbage bag?" Kenma offered hopefully, unsure of how he was supposed to respond. From the way Hinata beamed at him, it seemed the right call.

"Good! No one will know it's me then. Let's go!" Hinata paused after pulling the ragged sack over his shoulder. "Why don't you need a disguise, Kenma?"

"Uh-Um… I am, you just can't tell because you know me so well." Kenma averted his eyes. Hinata gave a low _oouh_ and relief flooded Kenma. He bought it. Kenma definitely didn't want to cut all his hair off too.

With that, they both left their homes and headed for the forest.

\- o - o - o -

"Hinata?" Daichi stopped him as he tried to sneak to the fire where everyone was gathered.

"Eh?" Hinata looked up at Daichi who had a stormy look on his face. The hand Daichi placed on Hinata's shoulder, lord knows when, was as heavy a threat as the look in his eyes. _How did he recognize me?_ Hinata frantically looked back at Kenma, who avoided his panicked look.

"What are you doing-" Daichi began, before he was cut off by an excited spiky haired boy.

"Hinata!" Nishinoya's hands knocked Daichi's off as he gripped Hinata's shoulders a jumped in excitement. "What are you doing here?"

"Hinata's here?" Tanaka popped up from behind Daichi and once he caught sight of the frazzled but excited orange haired boy his face split in a grin.

"Guys, back up-" Daichi tried to push his way through the two excited boys but to no avail.

"Hey, everyone! Hinata's here!"

Everyone slowly gathered around, all with a mixture of shock, excitement, and happiness on their faces. Questions and greetings left and right began to overwhelm Hinata, although he was still excited to be surrounded by everyone again.

"Enough!" Daichi's voice boomed and everyone froze. It wasn't that often that he yelled, so when he did – it drew attention. The others all looked up at him nervously, and Hinata felt panic seize him. What if he sends him back?

With a sigh, Daichi's shoulders slumped. "He must be tired, let him rest. Someone bring him some food." With that, there was a cheer, and Hinata grinned so wide he feared his face might split.

"Thanks, Daichi!"

With that, Hinata was ushered forward to the fire, with Kenma hanging out in the back, no one having taken note of him yet. Walking to the fire surrounded by all his friends, his family, Hinata was eagerly trying to answer all their questions at once of what was happening at the capital when he caught sight of a familiar mop of black hair and sour face.

"Kageyama!" Hinata broke away from the others and ran to the boy who stared up at him in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Kageyama furrowed his brow up at Hinata as stopped in front of him. "Do I know you?"

"From the other day, when you were fighting the King's Dog!" he replied eagerly, practically bouncing with excitement. Recognition filled Kageyama's face for but a moment before it settled back into a sour grimace.

"Right." Kageyama simply responded before turning back to his bowl of food, obviously trying to end this conversation.

"How do you know him?" Daichi asked with a hint of concern in his tone. Hinata lifted his head from his intense stare at Kageyama and realized that the others just stood by with surprise one their face. Nishinoya and Tanaka looked at him with confusion and worry as he turned to Daichi, becoming confused as well at the serious reaction from everyone.

"Ah, I just met him a couple days ago when he was attacked by the King's Dog." Hinata straightened up as he turned to face the others fully and placed his back to Kageyama.

"Oh? The King's Dog?" Daichi's concern increased as he watched Hinata fidget. Maybe he shouldn't have told him that.

Suga stepped forward and gently smiled and ruffled Hinata's hair. "You must be very tired Hinata, how about you rest for now and we'll catch up later? I'll have someone bring you your food instead." He gave a pointed stare at Daichi as he said this, who cast his eyes to the side. "And you too Kenma" Suga added, noticing Kenma hanging out in the back with an incredibly uncomfortable expression on.

"Okay, Suga!"

"…Nnh."

Turning around, Hinata realized Kageyama disappeared while he was talking to the others. With a frown and a huff, he waved to the others and jogged away with Kenma lagging behind. Of course, after having left the fire and finding the camps, he quickly realized that he forgot an important thing; he never asked where he and Kenma were staying.

Hinata sighed as he turned around, about to tell Kenma that they had to go back to the fire when he realized Kenma was nowhere to be seen. Ah, he must have lost him while he was running. Crap. That was when Hinata caught sight of a familiar grumpy figure walking a ways away.

"Kageyama, wait up!" Kageyama turned with a glower at ready when Hinata jogged up with a large smile, as if he hadn't completely blown him off earlier. "What are you doing out here?" Hinata gasped breathlessly. Man, he really was wiped out.

"Nothing." Hinata felt a twinge of annoyance at the short reply, and even more so at the fact that Kageyama refused to even look at him. His eyes remained focused on the woods to his left.

"Ah, okay… Well, where's your camp? I have no idea where I'm going to be staying" his reply lacked some of his enthusiasm and his smile was mostly gone, but he still remained cheerful as Kageyama continued to avoid his stare. Finally, Kageyama turned his eyes to him, but in the form of a glare.

"What does it matter?" He snapped and Hinata bristled.

"What crawled up your butt and died?" He sniffed and frowned, which only earned a harder glare from the taller boy.

"Why do you keep bugging me?"

"Why? Because I think your fighting is really cool, okay?" Hinata spat back and Kageyama's eyes widened and his cheeks heated a little bit under the unwavering brown eyes.

"So?" He replied, but his comment had less bite and he averted his eyes again.

"So, I want you teach me how to fight too! Idiot."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N

Hi there! Sorry for the day delay, I never got the chance to touch up the chapter and edit it yesterday, so I got to it now. Midterms are spread out from last week to a couple weeks from now so I've been pretty busy and probably will be later on. Bear with me.

I will probably do another couple chapters of setting and relationship building before I set into plot (trust me, there's going to be one!) so stick with me.

Thanks everyone for your favorites and follows! It's good encouragement. Leave a review if you can, that would be great help!

Any who, enjoy the show (ノ*゜▽゜*)

Chapter 3 - "I wish my horse had the speed of your tongue."

"So, I want you to teach me how to fight too! Idiot." Hinata felt his cheeks redden as he said the brazen words, but kept his level stare are on Kageyama. He watched the annoyance in his face morph into surprise.

"What?"

"I said I want you to teach me to fight." Hinata said again, but with less conviction as his cheeks grew warmer. Surely he must be red to his ears by this point.

"No way." Kageyama regained his composure and glared at the smaller boy. "Why would I do that?"

Hinata pouted as he thought of how to convince him, when it hit him. "Hmm… Well, if you don't I'll just ask over and over until you say yes!" Hinata grinned up at Kageyama, who looked incredulous at the thought.

"Whatever, do what you want – but I'll never say yes." And with that Kageyama turned and left, leaving Hinata to his excitement.

Hinata watched Kageyama walk away with renewed hope when he heard someone call his name. Turning his head, Hinata caught sight of Kenma jogging up to him.

"Kenma! Where'd you go?" Hinata met the blond part way as Kenma gasped for breath.

"You forgot – you forgot to ask where we're staying"

"Oh, that's right! So did you find out?"

"Yeah, it's the cabin farthest to the right." Kenma replied and took a look around – the cabins (if they can be called that) were lined up around the clearing and all similarly shaped. They were made of a mixture of hardened mud, stones and sticks and there were a total of ten. Honestly, it was quite impressive that they could make all this in the short time they were here, but there was much to be improved. The shelters weren't exactly safe from the weather.

"Let's go, then." And, with a nod from Kenma, the two made their way to the cabin to the far right. The cabin didn't look like much from the outside, but once they went in it was quite spacious and clean (at least for a building made of dirt) and there was a cot rolled up in the corner.

"This isn't half bad." Hinata said as he set his sac in the corner and began unrolling a cot.

"Yeah." Kenma murmured as he did the same, and began organizing his stuff. "I wonder who else is staying here."

Hinata gave him a questioning look, which Kenma returned with a furrowed brow. "I doubt they happened to have an extra cabin – it must have been made for someone. So we're probably sharing it with them." Kenma explained and realization hit Hinata and hope bloomed. Perhaps the person they're sharing a room with is Kageyama.

Some time later the curtain to their cabin opened and Hinata turned from the manga he was reading with anticipation.

"Hi, Hinata! Kenma!" Yachi's face appeared as she entered the room. Hinata couldn't help the disappointment he felt at the sight of her, but he was also excited to see his timid friend.

"Yachi! How's it going?" He stood up to greet her, as did Kenma with a small _hello._

"Ah, I'm good. I just came to bring you your food and say hello." Yachi replied as stepped forward with two bowls of food. _So she's not here as our roommate…_ Hinata thought with a mixture of excitement and guilt resulting from it. He took a bowl from Yachi and grinned up at her.

"You wanna stay for a while? I haven't seen you in so long." He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her over, but she stood steady and gave him an apologetic smile.

"I promised Kiyoko that I would help her after I brought you guys your food, sorry." She pulled her hand from him and smiled at him again before saying goodbye, avoiding the persistent Hinata. However, as she left Hinata stopped her and grabbed her hand again.

"Oh yeah. Hey, Yachi? Do you know who else is staying in this cabin?" Hinata asked hopefully as Yachi pulled her hand from his.

"Umm I think Ennoshita sleeps here." Yachi replied thoughtfully. "Well, Kiyoko's waiting for me. It was nice to see you guys again! Bye!"

"Right, bye." Hinata's face sunk with disappointment, which earned a concerned look from the other two. Yachi looked ready to ask what was wrong, so Hinata quickly gave her a grin. "I'll see you soon, right?"

"Yeah!" She returned his smile, all sign of concern gone as she waved and left. As soon as she was gone, Hinata let out a large sigh and dropped to the floor with the bowl of stew in his hand.

"What's wrong?" Kenma asked, giving Hinata a start. He'd almost forgotten Kenma was even there.

"N-nothing. I'm just tired." Hinata muttered as he shoved a spoonful of stew in his mouth – _bad idea. Super hot._ He coughed as he tried to keep the food in his mouth while simultaneously trying to blow on it to cool it down. Kenma chuckled at the sight.

"You were hoping it was Kageyama, weren't you?" Kenma's small knowing smile made Hinata's cheeks flush and he choked on the hot food as he involuntarily swallowed.

"How'd you know?!" Hinata exclaimed after choking for a minute.

"I saw you talking with him earlier. You seem to really like him." He replied as he took a bite of his own stew, making certain to blow on it first.

"I don't l-l-l-l-like him! I just think his fighting is super cool!" Hinata stuttered out, panic evident. Kenma gave him an inquisitive stare.

"I didn't mean that kind of like." Kenma replied with amusement and Hinata could have sworn steam came out of his ears, he was blushing so hard.

"N-n-nevermind." He stammered as he shoved another spoon of stew in his mouth, repeating the events of earlier. Kenma simply chuckled again and let the topic slide, afraid of accidentally killing poor Hinata.

Later on, Ennoshita arrived as well as Daichi and Suga, who came to talk to him like they promised. After having told them what happened over the last month at the capital and how Tsukishima and Yamaguchi stayed behind to take care of the estate for their eventual return, the two left. Hinata and the others spent the rest of the night catching up before they found two other cots and went to sleep in the, now-crowded, cabin.

The next day Hinata made it his mission to make Kageyama change his mind about being his teacher. From the moment he woke up, he chased down Kageyama at the breakfast table and eagerly asked the grumpy boy to teach him how to fight. He was quickly shot down – their conversation earning quite a few stares from others – and Hinata didn't see him again until he ran into him that night at the pool of water with a waterfall where they bathed.

Cornering him once again, Hinata requested Kageyama again to teach him. Kageyama, his face alight with a fiery blush as he tried to cover his body from where he was trying to get changed, exclaimed that he would never teach him.

And so continued their dance for days. Each day, Hinata found Kageyama more and more often as he got to know the place and Kageyama's habits. It got up to the point where Hinata sat in Kageyama's cabin for the fifth time that day and asked him the dreaded question.

"Kageyama – teach me how to fight!" Hinata whined for the billionth time. Kageyama sighed so heavily that Hinata feared he may blow the house down. The black haired teen rubbed his temples and glared weakly and the smaller boy.

"Just let me sleep." Kageyama groaned.

"Only if you promise to teach me how to fight." Hinata replied stubbornly. Kageyama sighed again – he'd been doing that a lot lately.

"Fine."

"I said only- wait what?" Hinata's eyes widened as he tried to make sense of what he heard – _maybe he said swine or something._

"I said fine, idiot!" Kageyama barked and with a grimace went back to rubbing his temples. Hinata bubbled with excitement, scarcely believing his own ears.

"Really?" He inquired with both suspicion and anticipation.

"We'll start tomorrow morning after breakfast." Was all Kageyama replied before turning onto his side, facing his back to Hinata. Finally free of doubt, Hinata's face split in a giant smile.

"Thanks, Kageyama! Or should I say teacher? I look forward to it! Goodnight." Hinata could have sworn Kageyama's ears turned red at that, but with one last look at the resting figure of his now teacher before getting up and leaving the cabin. Night had long since fallen when he returned to his own cabin and he curled up next to the snoring Kenma and excitedly thought of what tomorrow was to bring.

\- o - o - o -

"I said feet apart!" Kageyama snapped at Hinata as he flailed to get his position correct.

"I thought you said you would teach me how to _fight._ Where's my weapon?" Hinata complained as he tried to spread his legs right.

"And how are you going to fight if you don't know how to even stand right?" Kageyama replied as he slid a hand around Hinata's waist, pulling his upper body upright. "There, if you stand like that it's a lot easier to move to the side and dodge attacks without losing your balance – see?" He pushed on the smaller boy's shoulder to test his balance.

"Y-yeah" Hinata replied with a flushed face. _H-he only touched my waist. Calm down._

"Are you okay?" Kageyama asked as he noticed the red tint to Hinata's cheeks.

"I'm fine!" was his quick response as he met Kageyama's concerned eyes. "What now?"

"Now we're going to practice dodging. I'm going to swing a stick at you and you'll try to dodge while keeping your position. Remember, to avoid just pivot your feet or move one foot back if you have to regain your balance. We'll practice dodging while moving later. Are you ready?" Kageyama asked as he fell into position. Hinata nodded tentatively, slightly nervous.

Not a second passed after the nod did Kageyama's stick swing forward. It was a wide blow and Hinata desperately threw himself to the left while trying to keep his position, but lost his balance and fell. Kageyama chuckled at the sight and Hinata was about to tell him off when he noticed the small smile on Kageyama's face and the words died on his lips.

"You look really good. When you smile, I mean." The words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to filter them, but Hinata didn't really care. It was worth it to see Kageyama get flustered and cough into his hand in embarrassment.

"Idiot. Hurry up and get up, we have a lot of work to do." Kageyama growled as he held out a hand and refused to look Hinata in the eye.

"Okay." Hinata replied with a smile and accepted the hand offered to him.

With small breaks in between, the two practiced until lunch came around and Nishinoya came to get them. Exhausted from the continuous exercise, Hinata collapsed on the bench table and chugged down a cup of water between gasps for breath.

"Man, that was hard." He muttered as Kiyoko set a plate of food in front of him. He flashed a smile at her (although he couldn't meet her eyes) before turning to Yachi.

"Hm?" She asked, dragging her eyes from Kiyoko to turn her inquisitive eyes to Hinata. "You mean practice?" Hinata nodded while taking another sip from his water. "Yeah, you guys worked for ages. You must be exhausted."

Kageyama sat at the other end of the table, dragged there by an enthusiastic Nishinoya and Tanaka who seemed to be pestering him with questions. His face remained in the usual sour expression but had a flustered look to it. As he tried to answer their questions his eyes locked with Hinata's. Hinata quickly turned back to Yachi, embarrassed for being caught staring and he realized he didn't reply to her when she gave him an odd look.

"Ah, yeah I'm pretty tired. But I'm learning so much! Kageyama's a great teacher – I mean, when he doesn't yell at me." Hinata pouted a bit and Yachi laughed.

"Well how about you come with me and Kiyoko today? We have to go gather herbs and maybe some berries if we're lucky." Yachi asked with a glance to Kiyoko on her left who gave her a small nod with a barely visible smile.

"Yeah, sure! But you're gathering herbs too Yachi? Are you just helping out Kiyoko?" Confusion creased Hinata's brow. Yachi had never helped Kiyoko out with medicine before, she generally did chores like laundry and dishes. At that, however, Yachi's cheeks lit up and she dropped her eyes.

"Kiyoko asked me to become her apprentice." She replied with a grin as she met Hinata's eyes again, the blush still there but pride in her eyes.

"That's great." Hinata returned her smile and then the two settled into idle chit chat on the upcoming weather while they finished their meal.

\- o - o - o –

A short while later, Hinata had left to his cabin and was packing up his bag with stuff like water and snacks when a voice behind him made him jump in the air with a short yell.

"Where do you think you're going, idiot?" Kageyama said behind him.

"Hey! Don't go sneaking up on people." Hinata muttered as he turned around, blushing from his reaction. Kageyama was at the door of his small cabin and stood leaning on the door frame with a frown.

"You didn't answer my question. We have more training to do, where are you going?"

"Yachi asked me to go with her and Kiyoko to gather herbs." Was his reply as he pulled the sack over his shoulder.

"I just said – "

"Oh, I know! You come with us." Hinata beamed at Kageyama, who looked at him incredulously.

"You haven't even learned how to dodge properly and now you want to skip out on practice?" He snapped but the bright-eyed boy's smile didn't falter.

"Oh, come on. If we go, they said we might get some fruit."

"Idiot, so what?"

Hinata sighed deeply and closed his eyes. Reopening them, he locked them on Kageyama's with a seriousness unfamiliar to his happy face.

"W-what?" Kageyama stuttered and looked away, unnerved.

"If you come and let us practice this evening instead, I'll give you my serving of meat at supper."

Kageyama's face flickered from surprise to that of someone with severe constipation as he stared at Hinata. Hinata quirked his eyebrow at the look of consternation.

"Fine." Kageyama breathed and his face fell slack in defeat. Hinata felt overjoyed at this small win and broke out into a grin. He grabbed Kageyama's wrist and, sliding past him through the door, started dragging him.

"Let's go then!" He giggled as Kageyama froze.

"But I haven't packed yet!" Kageyama replied with a look of panic as he tried to resist Hinata's insistent pull.

"That's okay, I packed plenty so I can share."

Kageyama hesitated, panic still imminent, another moment before conceding, and then the two made their way to Yachi and Kiyoko waiting at the entrance.

Arriving at their meeting spot, Kiyoko and Yachi gave them a look of surprise as Hinata pulled Kageyama with him. Kageyama avoided their eyes with a faint redness dusting his cheeks.

"Hiya, Yachi! Kiyoko!" Hinata called with an enthusiastic wave.

"Hi, Hinata." Kiyoko replied and Yachi simply waved at him with a smile.

"What's Kageyama doing here?" Yachi asked as the two stopped before him. Hinata finally let go of Kageyama's wrist and scratched his head with a bashful smile.

"Sorry I forgot to ask, but Kageyama wanted come." He replied, which earned a jab to the side from the grumpy taller boy.

"Hinata begged me to come." Kageyama muttered, his words having less bite as he found himself incapable of meeting the girls' eyes.

"Nuh-uh! I just bribed you with meat." Hinata replied with a pout. Yachi looked between the arguing two with frantic worry when Kiyoko's quiet laugh caught everyone's attention.

"Oh well, the more the merrier." She smiled at them all and the bad atmosphere melted.

"Yeah!" Yachi and Hinata yelled at the same time with matching grins. Kageyama simply gave a small _nnh_ before they all set off into the forest.

The entrance of their camp wasn't really marked aside from the path that led to their clearing which Kiyoko led them down. The forest was dense with trees and the path was newly formed, making it hard to walk on. Yachi and Kiyoko walked next to each other in front of Kageyama and Hinata. They only walked down the path for a short while though, before they came off and entered the dense trees. Kiyoko appeared to be following a trail marked by small red ribbons tied on branches, and the others stumbled to try and follow her. Yachi was keeping pace easily though, as the other two lagged behind.

As they walked the trail, Kiyoko would gather herbs and describe what they did and how to use them. They even found some wild blueberries and strawberries in a field that they picked, which Yachi and Hinata munched on eagerly. Kageyama would occasionally steal a couple from Hinata, but mostly refrained from doing so.

As they were walking in a particularly dense part of the forest and Hinata was heatedly arguing with Kageyama about what famous fighter was cooler, Hinata tripped over a raised tree root. He yelled as he braced for the painful impact, his arms flailing and his eyes closed, only to feel an arm wrap around his waist and pulling him against Kageyama's chest. _W-what the - …_ Hinata felt his face heat up as it was pressed against the rapidly beating heart of Kageyama. He pulled away a little bit and looked up at Kageyama, who glowered down at him.

"Th-thank – "

"Idiot, watch where you're going." Kageyama snapped and pushed Hinata away, although being careful so as not to make him fall again. "Jeez, you almost made me fall too." Hinata stared at him with a mixture of shock and hurt.

"Well, I didn't ask you to save me!" He huffed and dusted off his shirt.

"How about saying 'thank you' instead, ungrateful brat."

"'Brat'!" Hinata spat. "I'm probably older than you, kid!"

"Oh yeah, how old are you? Twelve?" Kageyama replied with a smirk, to which Hinata bristled.

"Sixteen! How old are you?" The smaller boy glared up at him.

"… Fifteen." Kageyama muttered and cast his eyes away, his glare remaining in place as Hinata's face broke out into a triumphant grin.

"Ha! I'm older than you. Who's the brat now?" Hinata laughed boastfully and Kageyama grimaced.

"Well, you should still watch where you're going."

"Whatever." Hinata scoffed then turned from him with a huff. "Let's catch up with the others." He glanced around the forest only to see Yachi and Kiyoko nowhere in sight. The trees loomed over them as Hinata felt panic seize him.

"Where'd they go?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: "This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen."

A/N

Ah! I know! I'm a day late again! I'm very very sorry, but I had a big midterm this morning and had to study it last night. I still finished this chapter yesterday, but I finished by like 1am and I didn't trust myself not to make a million mistakes (as I should not have, it was riddled with them). Not only that but when I went to edit it, I discovered that a quarter of it was missing! Yes, it was quite a bad time indeed.

Alas, here you have a short and sweet chapter. In both consolation for being late and in theme of Valentine's Day, this chapter is a lot more fluffy than usual, so enjoy! I had a lot of fun writing about these two being idiots.

Ps, I was studying King Lear in my Shakespeare class today and we came across Lear's little speech, where I got the chapter title – it fits nicely, doesn't it?

"Where'd they go?" Hinata asked as he and Kageyama shared a look. There was no sign of the two girls for as far as the dense forest allowed them to see.

"I don't know… Maybe we should walk a little and we'll find them?" Kageyama offered, and Hinata nodded.

"Then let's go… That way!" Hinata decided and pointed directly ahead of them. It was a logical choice, as it was the way they were heading before they stopped, but the dense forest didn't exactly have a straight path. So soon after the two left, they were taking small turns and detours which eventually led them to a place more foreign than ever, and they began to panic.

"Maybe if we go to the right?" Hinata's nervousness was palpable as he stared up at Kageyama, waiting for confirmation.

"Idiot, we just came from there!" Kageyama snapped as his nerves made him more moody than usual as well.

"Who's the idiot, idiot? You're the reason we're lost in the first place!" Hinata yelled back and took a step closer to the towering boy.

"It's your fault, not mine. Klutz." Kageyama spat as he sullenly looked away. Hinata's face scrunched up as he got ready for a retort, when his expression suddenly fell and nothing left his lips, earning a concerned look from Kageyama (albeit with an ever-present glare).

"Hey, doesn't it seem to be getting darker?" Hinata's voice was quiet and his eyes widened as he looked around the forest now filled with shadows.

"Hn? Y-yeah, I guess. What, you scared, or something?" Kageyama sneered with a stutter that stole its edge. Just as he finished his sentence, however, a bush rustled behind them and with matching very-manly screams, the two crashed into each other violently.

Hinata clung to Kageyama's shirt as the larger boy's arms wrapped painfully around him. The two remained frozen and refused to breathe as they stared at the source of the sound when _it_ emerged. They gripped each other ever harder as the great beast leapt from the bush, barely visible in the ever darkening sky. With a strangled gasp the two fell to the ground as they beheld the animal before them. There, it sat on its haunches and watched them with beady eyes, immobilising them with its stare. Neither dared a breath as sweat built on their brows, and Hinata feared his heart beat was loud enough to make the ground tremble beneath him with the way it pounded in his chest. Another few seconds passed as the two remained on the ground in nervous anticipation, clinging to one another in fear, before the beast turned and with a flick of its long ear, bounded confidently into the bush to their side, gliding past them with ease. The last thing seen before it disappeared in the leaves was the fluff of its tail, leaving the two gaping in its midst.

Another moment passed before Hinata dared speak. "Was that… A bunny?" Hinata murmured against the shoulder of Kageyama who remained silent. Without another word, the two disentangled themselves and got up off the ground. Refusing to meet each other's eyes, they awkwardly stood there for a moment before Kageyama broke the silence.

"Maybe we should find some shelter." The taller boy muttered with a shift of his feet.

"Y-yeah. I remember was passed a cave just a little ways that way." Hinata replied while pointing to the opposite side of where the bunny had disappeared to.

"Okay, let's go then."

Kageyama and Hinata began treading back through the now dark forest and found the cave Hinata spoke of not more than ten minutes later. It was a decent size and incredibly dark, and the two hesitated only a second before going in.

"We should probably… Sleep next to each other. You know, to keep each other warm and stuff." Hinata offered, unsure as to why he was blushing, when he caught Kageyama's shocked look. "O-obviously we will be facing away from each other! But its, you know, super cold. And stuff." He coughed and dropped his eyes to the ground, ears aflame.

"I guess, that makes sense." Kageyama replied and Hinata looked up at him with surprise, locking eyes with Kageyama as the other rubbed his neck uncomfortably.

"O-okay! Let's go over here then." The smaller boy bounced over to the wall furthest to the left and only a small five feet deep in the cave. With a nod of agreement, the two made way to the spot and with a quiet 'goodnight' they both laid down. Their backs were pressed against one another, and although Hinata's heart felt like it was going to burst from going so fast, the warmth of Kageyama's back soothed him and the two fell asleep fairly quickly. Without much thought to the anomaly of his heartbeat and to the warmth of his cheeks, Hinata drifted off into a comfortable sleep despite the cold ground and terrifying setting.

An undeterminable time later, a grunt and shuffling around pulled Hinata out of his sleep. The wriggling against his face caught Hinata's attention first as his drowsy mind tried to grasp reality. He then recognized a weight on his shoulder, then something both soft yet firm holding his head aloft, and then finally that his own arm was wrapped around the sleeping figure of Kageyama. His heart nearly came to a stop and Hinata realized what situation he was in and his eyes widened. He was, in fact, cuddling Kageyama. Just as he came to this conclusion, there was more rustling and mumbling from above his head. Hinata pulled his head back a little bit to look at the larger boy, careful not to wake him, when he felt something soft press against his forehead. Hinata gasped as the brief sensation disappeared and he thought _– no, it couldn't be –_ the soft feeling on his forehead – _was it his…?-_ it lasted for only a second but maybe… – _Did he just…? –_ Ah, Kageyama just kissed Hinata on the forehead.

Hinata's face burst into color invisible in this darkness and his heart pounded deafeningly loud. Certain his heartbeat would wake the now-sleeping boy, Hinata froze and stared at the peaceful face of Kageyama to make sure he would remain asleep. A moment later, Hinata pried himself from Kageyama's arms and turned away from him. His face still ablaze and heart going crazy, Hinata listened to Kageyama rustle around a little bit from the sudden lack of heat before he drifted back into a deep sleep. Staring into the darkness of the cave, Hinata tried to still his thundering heart.

Safe to say, it was quite a while before he finally fell asleep again.

\- o - o - o -

The morning light shone through the cave entrance directly on the two sleeping boys as the chirping of birds began to float in the air. Kageyama was the first to wake, though he sound crouched and began poking Hinata in the side.

"Wake up, idiot. We got to find our way back." Hinata groaned and rolled away from the loud boy.

"Few more min'ts" Hinata muttered and covered his face with the nook of his arm. This time a foot collided with his side. With a grunt, Hinata turned and glared at Kageyama (although it was more of a squint due to the overpowering light).

"Get up." Kageyama growled and gave another kick to his side for emphasis. Hinata sighed and slumped against the ground.

"Fine." He mumbled and, with great effort, pulled himself off the ground. His eyelids felt heavy and he stifled a yawn.

"Jeez, what's wrong with you? Any other morning you're annoyingly perky." Hinata simply shrugged as he began to stretch. The kinks of sleeping on the stony ground all night all snapped as his joints popped in place. Kageyama grimaced at the sound and muttered _gross_ under his breath.

"Let's go." Hinata muttered as he stifled another yawn.

"Where should we go?" Kageyama asked as he looked around the immense forest. It was more of a rhetorical question, as obviously neither knew the answer.

"I don't know. Maybe we should backtrack?" Hinata replied and Kageyama nodded thoughtfully.

"Maybe we'll find one of those markers Shimizu puts up."

"Yeah!" Hinata replied, his enthusiasm returning from the dulled state of drowsiness. The two set off the way they had come.

Kageyama and Hinata trekked through the forest for what felt like hours, feeling more lost than ever, when Hinata saw a brightly colored piece of fabric fluttering in the wind. Abruptly stopping his retort to gape open mouth, Hinata felt cautious excitement build in his chest.

"Is that…" Hinata began, his voice quieting in awe. Kageyama furrowed his brow and was about to ask what the hell he was talking about when he caught sight of it too.

"Shimizu's marker!" The two exclaimed in disbelief. Sharing a mutual look of relief and eagerness, the Hinata and Kageyama quickly ran to the fluttering ribbon (although careful not to fall).

"There's another!" Hinata shouted and pointed to one not five feet from the first. With this, they saw another ribbon after the other, until they eventually stumbled into the narrow path. Grinning, they looked to the right and there they saw it; they found the camp.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: "Love is merely a madness; and the reason why they are not so punish'd and cured is that the lunacy is so ordinary that the whippers are in love too."

A/N

Ha! I'm on time this time! Take that, procrastination.

So things started getting heated in this chapter and I've discovered how hard it is to not fall into smut. I might have to change the rating later (though I would make it so that you could just skip over it of course). Anyway, I hope you enjoy and I'd love some feedback!

Oh, and this title's quote's from 'As You Like It'!

Enjoy~

The moment Hinata and Kageyama step foot in the camp they were tackled over by a frantic Yachi who wailed their names loudly, startling the two as they toppled on the ground in a tangle of limbs and grunts of pain that quickly morphed into giggles and chuckling – and sobs from Yachi.

"Where'd you go?" Yachi sobbed into Hinata's shoulder. Before he could answer, he saw Shimizu approach them with a gentle smile on her face.

"We thought you guys got hurt or something." explained Shimizu as she crouched next to the three entangled teens. She pat the sobbing Yachi's hair with a fond look before turning back to the other two. "Are you guys alright?" the stern concern in her face and her tone were on par with Suga's, and the two boys sheepishly avoided eye contact.

"We're fine. We just got lost while following you guys." Hinata replied, leaving out the reason for why they got lost.

"As long as you're okay." Shimizu sighed before smiling at them. "The others are eating lunch by the fire, let's go let them all know you're okay." She murmured and Hinata and Kageyama nodded in unison. However, Yachi clung to them harder, even as her sobs subsided into minor hiccups. The fond look returned to Shimizu's eyes as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "Right, Yachi?"

Yachi opened one eye and peeked at Shimizu. She nodded slowly and her grip on the two bigger boys relaxed. Hinata gentled pulled her arms away before standing and brushing the dirt off his pants. Kageyama followed suit while Hinata helped Yachi up and then the small group headed towards the loud cheering and chattering of the fire.

When they finally came in view of the blazing fire and the crowd gathered around it, an inexplicable warmth spread in Hinata's chest. The sight of his friends – his family – all gathered around the fire smiling and laughing felt so much like home that it sometimes left Hinata speechless. Of course Hinata wasn't floored like this every time he saw his family gathered around a fire, otherwise he might begin to doubt his mental stability, but this warm feeling of coming home came with a rather startling realization.

Nishinoya sat between Tanaka and Asahi and was telling a rather detailed story of an ancient ninja clan that saved the whole country from an evil clan with crazy hand gestures and dramatic voices that ensnared his two listeners. Asahi hung on to every word with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation on his face while Tanaka had a goofy grin of excitement as his story came to a climax. Opposite of them Daichi and Suga sat intimately close and whispered something for only their ears, earning warm looks and smiles from one another. To their right sat Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita, talking about how much work the rebuilding of the cabins was. Next to Tanaka sat Saeko and Michimiya, who were laughing hysterically over something Saeko said about Tanaka (who heard nothing in his intense focus on Nishinoya's story). Kenma sat next to the laughing girls and watched them with distaste that gave hint to the gravity of what was said about Tanaka.

There they all sat, ignorant of the four at the entrance of the clearing. Hinata watched with a small smile and his chest clenching almost painfully as he realized just how badly he wanted Kageyama to be a part of this small scene, indefinitely. He wanted so desperately for the rude, grumpy, and incomprehensible Kageyama to be a part of this small tight knit group of people he called family that it hurt.

The twinkling lights of the stars danced before Hinata's eyes as he gazed at them quietly. He was laying on the grass near his cabin with his arms behind his head as he watched them, thoughts twirling around his head endlessly. He wasn't one to generally ponder things for long, but he still couldn't help but wonder what was going on back home. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were both back at the capital, keeping an eye on things, and this was just one of his many worries. Seeing as they were the same age as Hinata, they wouldn't be considered threats either, but he still worried. Not to mention it's always possible the King would come after them – actually, that was quite likely. Hinata sighed as his eye lids began to feel heavy. He watched the mist from his breath dissipate into the frigid air with a sense of anxiety knotting in his stomach.

"Sleepy?" A quiet voice called from above him, blocking out the stars with their head. Squinting, Hinata's eyes adjusted to the sudden change and Kenma came into view.

"A little." Hinata murmured, his mouth dry from going without speaking for so long. He cleared his throat before patting the ground next to him. "Care to watch the stars with me?" Hinata grinned up at Kenma who simply lowered himself next to him slowly.

"They're beautiful aren't they?" Hinata's voice was filled with awe as he watched them twinkle. The view was never this good in the capital. Kenma hummed his agreement, but otherwise remained silent. The two of them lay shoulder to shoulder for a long time without a word said, though neither fell asleep either. The silence was rather comforting, but Hinata still found his mind drift back to the capital and worry gnawed at him at all the possibilities for things to go awry.

"You thinking about back home?" Kenma asked, though it sounded more like a statement. Hinata gave him a startled look, but Kenma was still facing the sky and his expression was indecipherable.

"Yeah."

"Me too."

Silence resumed for a few more minutes, the two simply watching the stars.

"Do you think…" Hinata paused as he breathed a trembling breath in. "Do you think they'll come after us?" his voice was barely audible and Kenma paused for a long while, allowing the worry to build in Hinata's chest as he waited. He began fretting with the grass under his hand, pulling out strands of it as he waited for Kenma's answer.

"…I don't know."

Morning came all too quickly, and a groggy Hinata pulled himself out of the oh-so-warm blankets of his bed. Rubbing his eyes with a yawn, he gave a large stretch that popped all his bones in place, eliciting a moan from him. Taking a quick look around of the room, Hinata noticed Kenma and Ennoshita's bed rolls already put away and their blankets folded. Dread filled him as he began to wonder just how much morning was left when he woke up. Quickly pulling on some clothes and tossing his bedroll to the side, Hinata practically sprinted to the patch of clearing he and Kageyama practiced in.

"You're late." The familiar dark blue eyes glared at him as he stepped into the clearing, panting for breath.

"I- I know-" Hinata gasped for breath. "-I'm very very very sorry!" staring up at the larger boy with pleading eyes. Kageyama sighed while closing his eyes and rubbing his temples.

"Whatever, let's get to work. We don't have much time left." Falling into position, Kageyama gestured at Hinata to do the same. "Today you're going to work on defense, but this time you're not dodging. First, attack me and I'll show you what you're going to be learning."

"'Kay!" Hinata replied and, after entering the proper position, leapt forward without hesitation. Pushing forward with his right foot, Hinata kept his body low as he aimed a fist at Kageyama's abdomen. He caught Kageyama's eyes widen for a moment before he felt two hands clasp his arm and suddenly he was being pulled over Kageyama's shoulder. With a thud, Hinata hit the grassy floor in the blink of an eye.

"Wooaah! That was amazing!" Hinata beamed at the taller boy who stood above him, casually dusting off his pants.

"Alright, let's go again. Make sure to watch closely what I'm doing, then I'll show you the move step by step."

Hinata jumped up with an "Osu!" and got back into position. He focused entirely on Kageyama's form and, specifically, his hands as he prepared to leap forward again. Lowering his center of gravity, Hinata pivoted his right foot before sprinting forward again, aiming his punch for his shoulder this time, hoping to knock Kageyama off balance. He watched as Kageyama lifted his hands and placed one on his biceps and the other on his forearm before turning and pulling Hinata against his back and then over it, making Hinata land with another dull thud on his back.

Before Hinata could catch his breath, Kageyama held out his hand to pull him up.

"It's a really simple maneuver that should be easy to learn. It's great for pretty well everyone, seeing as it doesn't require much strength. Come here, I'll show you how it works." Hinata stepped forward and offered up his arm with an intense stare.

"First you place your right hand on their bicep, then your left on their forearm," Kageyama placed his hands on Hinata's arm as he said this, the places he touched feeling like they were on fire as Hinata struggled to focus on what he was saying and doing; "then you pivot your feet and turn away from them. This part is crucial, because you're leaving your back open to them so you need to make sure you're fast. Next you pull them against your back," Hinata was pressed against the bigger boys back as the other pulled him to demonstrate the movement and Hinata felt his face heat up at the awkward contact; "and then you use your lower back strength to haul them over your shoulder." He finished his demonstration, stopping before pulling Hinata over his shoulder, and let go of Hinata's arm before turning to face him. "You think you got that?"

"Yeah!" Hinata eagerly fell into position, his earlier embarrassment forgotten momentarily, and waited for Kageyama to come at him. Kageyama faintly smiled with amusement at the excitement of the smaller boy before settling into position as well. Not allowing himself to be distracted by the rare occurrence, Hinata was prepared when Kageyama lunged forward. Mimicking the movements of Kageyama, Hinata grabbed Kageyama's arm and with a heave, pulled him over his shoulder. Kageyama let out a huff of air as he landed on the ground and looked up at Hinata with surprise. Hinata grinned at him and felt satisfaction at his achievement. Kageyama quickly pulled himself off the ground and faced Hinata with something that appeared akin to praise in his eyes.

"You got it on the first try, nice." Hinata felt his face warm with the approval and he felt his chest clench with happiness. This was the first time Kageyama complimented him, and it felt fantastic. "But if I were going full speed you never would have been able to do it. So wipe that smug look off your face." Kageyama grumbled, his own face curiously red as he fell back into position. Hinata's grin never faltered as he followed suit. "We're going to do this ten more times before I show you the next defensive technique. Let's go." Without waiting for a response, Kageyama dove forward and Hinata prepared for his attack. The fist flying at his face suddenly disappeared, however, as Hinata reached for it and for a panicked split second he wondered where it had gone.

Then with a muttered "Shit", Kageyama plowed into his stomach, knocking both of them over. The breath was knocked out of Hinata as he hit the ground, hard. He groaned as he rubbed his head, hearing a similar noise right next to his ear. That was when he noticed the weight of another body on his own, and he could have sworn his heart stopped beating right then. His ears burned like crazy and he was sure his bright red face was incredibly noticeable. Kageyama pulled away as Hinata's heart kick-started back into action, going full throttle and pounding like mad. The bigger boy pulled himself onto his hands and knees as he tried to regain himself. Hinata noticed the red tinge on the others face as well, as Kageyama looked everywhere but down before finally getting up.

His heart still pounding, Hinata didn't ponder the red state of Kageyama's face as he focused on regaining composure. He pulled himself back into position as Kageyama did the same.

"Sorry, I tripped." Kageyama muttered, still refusing to meet his eyes.

"S'okay."

"Let's go again, that doesn't count." Then he lunged at Hinata, and the two resumed practice.

Forty minutes later and ten maneuvers executed, Hinata collapsed on the ground with an exhausted groan.

"Hey, we're not done yet! We still have an hour before lunch and we have to start the next technique." Kageyama snapped as he dragged an arm across his sweat laden brow. "Get up and get into position."

Hinata grumbled a little bit, but still complied (and with more excitement than he would admit). "What are we going to do now?"

"This one is a little bit more complicated so we're going to do it twenty times so you can get it right. Now come at me and I'll show you how it works."

"'Kay~" Hinata called before attacking Kageyama, his right fist flying at him with all his might. Instead of grabbing this time, Kageyama used his right arm to push it aside and he pivoted left. Surprised by the change, Hinata didn't notice Kageyama slide his foot in front of his shins and suddenly he fell face first on the ground. Before he could even breathe in from the blow, a weight appeared on his lower back and his right arm was twisted behind his back painfully. However, the pain of having his arm twisted the wrong way paled in comparison to the panic he felt at that-which-he-will-not-mention being pressed against his back. His face bloomed red as he froze underneath the larger boy.

"Alright, now I'm going to do it one more time and then explain it like I did last time." Kageyama explained as he finally got off Hinata's back. Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, Hinata stumbled back to his feet and prepared to take the attack again. Regaining his composure a little, he nodded at Kageyama.

Not a second later, Hinata was lying on the ground with Kageyama's junk not pressed against his back this time – no, it was pressed against his _butt_ of all things. Face warm, Hinata felt his mouth go dry as Kageyama pressed his arm firmly against his back. A knot formed in his stomach as the movement made Kageyama pressed harder against Hinata.

 _Twenty times? We're doing this twenty times?_

Kageyama finally got off of Hinata, and he quickly got to his feet, hyper aware of the state of his face as he turned to face Kageyama once again.

 _I'm going to die today._

Luckily, the other made no mention of it or even hint that he noticed when he went on to explain the maneuver step by step.

"Okay, get in position now. I'm going to attack you and you're going to have to force me on to the ground. Ready?" Kageyama fell into position, and not a second later Kageyama was flying at him.

Raising his right hand, Hinata managed to redirect Kageyama's punch, but he was too late in sticking out his foot so he only hooked his right foot, causing them both to stumble. Kageyama fell on his side, so when Hinata came crashing down he nearly hit his chest right on Kageyama's shoulder. Luckily, he managed to stick out his arms in time so he hovered mere centimeters above it. Relieved, Hinata looked at Kageyama with a grin. He realized a little late, however, that Kageyama's face lay only an inch from his own.

The first thing he noticed was the flush dusting the others cheeks, and then the slightly parted lips that panted slightly, glistening from sweat or saliva he didn't know. The warmth from his breath puffed on Hinata's skin, sending a shiver down his spine. And then an awkward cough from the other pulled him back to reality and crushing embarrassment crashed over him.

Hinata leapt off over the other with more dexterity he had to offer when actually practicing.

"I'm s-s-s-s-sorry." Hinata stuttered and flushed even harder. He kept his eyes glued to the ground.

Yeah, this was definitely going to kill him.


End file.
